Unwell Mortlock to miss opener

The Wallabies, only three days away from their opening World Cup match against Argentina, get in some serious practice at Coffs Harbour.
Picture: AFP

Wallaby centre Stirling Mortlock's dream of returning for the World Cup opening match against Argentina after seven months in the shadows was ruined last night when he was ruled out after missing his second day of training through illness.

This afternoon's announcement of the Australian team for the tournament opener at Telstra Stadium on Friday night was expected to revolve around Mortlock being rewarded for overcoming a debilitating shoulder injury for the second time in his career. Instead, Mortlock may still be confined to his bed, where he has been for the past two days, after failing to overcome a bout of gastroenteritis.

Eddie Jones was relying heavily on Mortlock improving Australia's midfield attack and the coach was dejected that the fastest Australian to reach 50 and 100 Test points was no longer in the mix.

"It is disappointing Stirling has been unable to train. He's played a couple of club games, and has been out for a long time. So missing these two training sessions certainly made it a tight deadline, especially for someone who has been out of the game for a long while," Jones said. "He has been on the improve, but he's not 100 per cent."

Jones said Mortlock would be replaced at No. 13 by either Mat Rogers or Matthew Burke. "We'll just have to look at the balance of the team, and how we want to play the game. We've had a number of blokes training at No. 13 regularly, so we're covered," Jones said.

Since arriving in Coffs Harbour, Mortlock has suffered from a gastric virus, and was bedridden while the rest of the team trained on Sunday and yesterday.

As Mortlock had missed so much training, added to the fact that he is so short of game time, the Australian selectors, after consulting with team doctor Martin Raftery, last night decided it was unwise to select him. Mortlock was set to join Elton Flatley in the centre, with Rogers poised to take over Chris Latham's full-back spot.

Mortlock's ill-luck will now probably save Latham, as Rogers is the favourite to now be moved into outside centre, especially as he started in that spot in Australia's previous four Tests.

Obviously concerned with the power of the Argentinian scrum, Australia focused on its forward pack during the morning training session yesterday. For 20 minutes, the Wallaby pack was involved in live scrummaging, and executing back-row moves.

Believing that Argentina will base a lot of its play around rolling mauls, the Wallabies have also focused on improving their defence in thwarting the Pumas' driving forward play.

The backs have meanwhile been improving their midfield kicking, which for several Tests has been substandard.

Jones applied the cattle prodder yesterday, telling the players that their kicking had to become far more positive. "We have to attack with our kicks, and be aggressive," Jones said.

"As Argentina are a good counter-attacking and turnover attacking team, our kicking has to be good and aggressive."

Meanwhile, star Argentinian back Felipe Contepomi said the Pumas could experience a famine or a feast against the Wallabies, claiming the South Americans could register a surprise win - or lose by 50 points.

"I tell you with my hand on my heart that I fear perhaps getting a (losing) difference of 50 points, and I think that on the other hand, perhaps we can win," Contepomi said.

"I think Australia has one great thing, that is they know how to handle pressure and they know when to explode as a team," said Contepomi.

Contepomi was full of admiration for the Wallabies' two major playmakers, Larkham and Flatley. "Larkham is . . . a great player and I like his style of rugby and how he attacks the ball and how he takes play inside the defence . . . and Flatley is a guy that reminds me of Tim Horan. It's a great, great team."